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The Boston Red Sox have been without star third baseman Alex Bregman for over a month, as the 31-year-old has been sidelined with a right quad strain since late May.

Bregman took to social media Wednesday and dropped a major hint about his potential return from the IL, suggesting it won't be long before he's back in Boston with the team. On Instagram, Bregman shared a video of himself hitting a home run at Fenway Park. He used an emoji that says "SOON" underneath an arrow as the caption for the post.

While Bregman didn't get into any specifics about his impending return, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that there's "a really good chance" the veteran infielder returns prior to the All-Star break, via Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Boston's last series before the midseason break is set to begin Thursday—a four-game series against the rival Tampa Bay Rays at home. It seems likely Bregman will be back in the lineup at some point during that series.

Prior to sustaining the injury, Bregman had been off to a roaring start to his career with the Red Sox. In his first 51 games for the organization, he slashed .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.

The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route – and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.

WASHINGTON – For a little while there, Mauricio Pochettino was just like everyone else. 

He wasn't the head coach of the U.S. men's national team or the de facto face of American soccer; he was part of the audience at the Kennedy Center watching Shaquille O'Neal, Aaron Judge, and Wayne Gretzky struggle to open up ping pong balls that decided fates. There was no coaching to do, no strategy to implement, no adjustments to be made. The fate of Pochettino and his team was, at least for now, in the hands of others.

The moment that final ball was drawn, the USMNT’s fate snapped back into their own hands. Paraguay and Australia were confirmed. A European playoff winner will join them. The waiting stopped the second that envelope was opened. From that moment, Mauricio Pochettino’s preparations could truly begin.

“How did I live the experience? With happiness,” Pochettino said. “Because it is a unique moment, where we see which teams we are going to face in the World Cup, with zero expectations. What it looks like today, in six months, can change – that is the truth for us, in the same way. Yes, I am really happy to have been part of this event, and we really enjoyed it.”

Fans did, too. The USMNT were given a group that, to put it fairly, is navigable. They’ve beaten both Australia and Paraguay in recent months. If Turkey emerge from the playoff, they would be familiar as well, having played the U.S. to a narrow 2-1 win before the Gold Cup. The reaction on social media was swift: this was no group of death. Not even close. Some might even call it a best-case scenario – one that can have the USMNT dreaming about what’s possible in ways they couldn’t before those ping-pong balls bounced their way.

Getty'It made it feel like an American event already'

Pochettino wasn’t the only one watching with intrigue. Millions around the world tuned in to the festivities at the Kennedy Center, including several of the USMNT’s most important players.

“Just watching, the Americans on stage and the President giving speeches and all of the performances, it made it feel like an American event already,” said 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams.

Added star winger Christian Pulisic: “I knew it was going to take a while before we actually saw who we’d have in our groups, and it did, but it was good. The buildup was good. Now that we know, it’s an exciting time.”

Pulisic was putting it lightly. It took a while to get to the actual draw. A series of musical performances preceded it. So did an award for President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. There was no shortage of ceremony or spectacle. Then, finally, it got down to business.

Tom Brady, O’Neal, Judge, and Gretzky drew the teams, with varying levels of success. By the time they were done – concluding a two-hour marathon of a ceremony — the U.S. knew what came next: Paraguay, Australia, and then a European play-off winner, in that order. Depending on the result of that playoff, which includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo, the U.S. may be favored in all three games.

“For ourselves, no matter who we drew in the group, we were going to have that belief that we could make a run and do something special,” Adams said. “I think, just having the draw in general, the excitement grows, and it makes it feel more real.”

It’s both real and somewhat familiar, as the U.S. now looks ahead to games against teams they know pretty well.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLessons from the past

Pochettino was in a joking mood when asked about the upcoming opponents.

"It means less work!" he said with a laugh, "It's fresh. We've already done the work over the last six months."

He's right. The U.S. played Turkey ahead of the Gold Cup, falling 2-1 after scoring early. They faced Australia in October, earning a 2-1 win of their own in a hard-fought game in Colorado. Then, just last month, the U.S. hosted Paraguay, earning yet another 2-1 win as part of their five-game unbeaten run through the fall.

Following his initial quip, Pochettino got down to business, explaining the reality of the situation: the teams that meet in seven months won't be the same as the ones that met this year. Players will have gone in and out. Key pieces may suffer injuries or return from them. The squads will look entirely different. Plus, at the end of the day, this is a World Cup; no friendly can fully prepare you for one of those.

"The reality is that the sequence has changed, or are going to change," Pochettino said. That is why there are different games with different rosters or different players in the starting XI. In six months, things can change. Teams can have a very different system. It's a good reference for us, and also for them, but I think we need to be very focused on the things that can change. I don't believe there will be an advantage. I think these events have no effect on the future."

All eyes are on that future now, though, and that has sprouted a question: how far can this team go?

Getty Images SportThe scenarios

The wheels of social media immediately started spinning. If the U.S. wins the group, several teams could be up next. If they win that, maybe they get a rematch against Belgium! That would be fun! Finish second in the group and, oh boy, does it get tougher. Third? Well, we'll figure all of that out later.

Pochettino isn't one for scenarios. They're fun for fans to think about, sure, but there's no benefit to getting too far ahead. Pochettino knows that more than most, having suffered a stunning group stage elimination with Argentina in 2002. As a result, there's no counting chickens, even if the group is a manageable one.

"If you are Argentina, the best team and the winner of the last World Cup, maybe you can say, 'Okay, the stage after, what is going to happen?'. Maybe then you allow yourself to see," Pochettino said. "We don't do the same. Our first game is the final of the World Cup. The second needs to be the final of the World Cup. The third, too. We need to see that. The first game is not just another opportunity. That's why we have the mentality that we want to build, the mindset we've talked about before."

That mindset does call for optimism, though. Pochettino once again called for fans to back this team. He called for those outside of the squad to believe in the players, to push them, and guide them to achieving more than any of their predecessors have. The hope is that they can do that, having now been given a realistic pathway to doing so.

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Getty Images Sport'We don’t need the best players; we need the right players'

Midway through his press conference, Pochettino quoted the legendary Herb Brooks. Under Brooks’ leadership, the USA hockey team defied all odds to create the Miracle on Ice in 1980, still one of the biggest sporting upsets of all time. Pochettino recently watched the movie based on that achievement, . It inspired him.

“The coach said, ‘We don’t need the best players; we need the right players to make the team a strong team,’” he said. “That’s what we want to provide to the national team: the right players to build a powerful team with the possibility to fight against anyone in the world. Good and right are completely different. What I have explained is that you cannot be only a good player; what we need is the right player.

“They are going to be more powerful than as individuals. It’s a quality and, if we don’t have this energy, maybe we can win one game, but, for them, in a competition like this, winning the World Cup is impossible.”

Pochettino doesn’t believe it’s impossible, though. He said so at his very first press conference. Time and time again, he has reiterated the message: the U.S. can win the World Cup. If not, what’s the point of all this? What’s the point of trying this hard if you don’t believe you can actually do it?

That may still be a step too far. But to get there, the U.S. will first need to navigate their group. That is achievable. They can win this group and, from there, who knows? At that point, Pochettino will be able to see how far the right players can take this team.

For a few months now, Pochettino has harped on one specific tagline: “Be realistic and do the impossible.” Emerging from the group seems more realistic than ever. Maybe the impossible might be, too.

Bangladesh beat Ireland 2-1 to win their fifth T20I series this year

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2025Bangladesh captain Litton Das has said the current crop of players were “almost ready” for the 2026 T20 World Cup after an improved fielding performance in the 2-1 series win against Ireland.Bangladesh have played 30 T20Is in 2025, the most for them in a year. The victory against Ireland was their fifth in T20I series this year after consecutive wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Netherlands and Afghanistan. They had lost to Pakistan and UAE before that streak, and West Indies after.Against Ireland, Bangladesh bounced back from 0-1 down to win the second and third T20Is. On Tuesday, they won by eight wickets and 38 balls to spare after an emphatic all-round display.Related

Tanzid, Rishad, Mustafizur lead Bangladesh to series win

“I wanted the team to win from pressure situations,” Litton said after the third T20I. “We couldn’t overcome the pressure in the first game but we fought back to win the series. There are many positive sides. We are not a good fielding unit, but we took some brilliant catches in this series. At least in the fielding department, we have shown improvement. After playing the most number of T20Is in a year, I think our players have become more mature.”The credit goes to all the players and coaching staff. Our team was ready since the Asia Cup. We have only used a certain number of players since then. I think we want these players to play their best cricket in the BPL, which we then expect them to replicate for the national team. I am not concerned about anyone’s performance, but about injuries. We will all pray that we remain safe in the next two months.”Litton said Bangladesh had experimented this year, to find their best combination for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February. For instance, Bangladesh used all their opener options in the top four in the third T20I against Ireland, while also mixing up their spinners and fast bowlers.

“I am not too concerned about it [the No. 6 position]. Not everyone will get runs in every series. You saw [Towhid] Hridoy doing well in this series.”Litton Das

“We have conducted a lot of experiments. We made certain changes that were risky – like Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] didn’t bowl the last over today,” Litton said. “[Mohammad] Saifuddin bowled the last over. I wanted to see what a player will do after not playing two matches. I think we tried almost everything in every aspect of the team. This bunch of players are almost ready for the next World Cup.”Bangladesh, however, do not have a settled middle order, with at least one position still up for grabs. They tried Jaker Ali, Nurul Hasan and Shamim Hossain in each of the three matches, though Shamim didn’t get to bat in the third game.”I am not too concerned about it [the No. 6 position],” Litton said. “Not everyone will get runs in every series. You saw [Towhid] Hridoy doing well in this series. I want them to score runs in the BPL, and then bring that to the World Cup.”Litton also said he had to rotate between three spinners in the XI, which means one of his “match-winners” ends up on the bench.”Mahedi [Hasan], Rishad [Hossain] and Nasum [Ahmed] are my match-winners, so I have to take a tough call when I have to pick [only] two spinners in the XI,” he said. “Sometimes, my performer has to sit out. They have accepted my decisions. They are good team-mates. It will keep happening in the future, but of course we explain to them [why we didn’t pick any of them].”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank, in particular, will have been delighted with Saturday’s 2-0 win over his former club Brentford in the Premier League.

Goals from Richarlison, signed for £60m, and Xavi Simons, signed for £52m, secured all three points for the Lilywhites, as two of their most-expensive signings start to show their quality.

An expensive signing who is not offering too much to the team at the moment, though, is £47.5m addition Brennan Johnson, who was an unused substitute against Brentford.

Why Brennan Johnson has not been a waste of money for Spurs

The Wales international has not scored in the Premier League since August, with four goals in all competitions this season, and has not been used off the bench in two of the last three matches, per Sofascore.

Signed for £47.5m from Nottingham Forest in 2023, Johnson does not currently look like good value for money, given his struggles this term, but he has not been a waste of money on the evidence of his overall time at the club so far.

The 24-year-old attacker has delivered 27 goals and 18 assists in 104 games for the Lilywhites, per Transfermarkt, including the winner in the Europa League final last season.

You could argue that his winning goal in that final was worth the £47.5m on its own because of the memories that it created, as the club’s first trophy in 17 years.

Meanwhile, there is another expensive signing in the Spurs squad who should be sold, as he has been a bigger flop than Johnson and has yet to justify his price tag.

The Spurs player who should be sold in January

Dominic Solanke has been out with an ankle injury since August, with no return date given by Frank, but he should be ruthlessly sold in the January transfer window.

Spurs splashed a club-record transfer fee of £65m to sign the English striker from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, and his performances on the pitch have not reflected that huge outlay.

For a 27-year-old, now 28, who was brought in as a Premier League-proven star in the prime years of his career, Solanke has not offered enough in front of goal to suggest that he has been worth the money, with just nine league goals for the club to date, per Sofascore.

In April, pundit Micah Richards claimed that the £65m signing had “been a disappointment all season” in the 2024/25 campaign, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you look at his statistics, notably costing them around £4m per goal so far.

Appearances

27

13

xG

10.97

5.58

Goals

9

5

Big chances missed

12

4

Minutes per goal

245

161

As you can see in the table above, Solanke underperformed against his xG in both the Premier League and the Europa League last term, missing more ‘big chances’ than he scored goals in the former.

Johnson, meanwhile, hit double figures for goals with 11 Premier League strikes for the Lilywhites, which means that he has scored four more league goals for Spurs than Solanke since the start of last season, per Sofascore.

This shows that the Welshman, who plays on the wing rather than as a striker, has been more productive than the ex-Bournemouth man in the Premier League, whilst also being more impactful overall, given his trophy-clinching goal.

Solanke has simply not done enough on the pitch since signing for the club to prove that the Lilywhites were right to splash £65m on him, which is why they should cut their losses and cash in on him in January.

His current injury issues only add further fuel to the fire because Spurs now do not know if they can rely on him to be fit and available, whilst they also do not know if they can rely on him to be efficient in front of goal as their number nine.

Richarlison’s return of six goals and two assists in nine Premier League starts so far this season, per Sofascore, also suggests that Solanke will not be the first-choice number nine when he is back fit.

Fewer touches than Vicario & 88% duels lost: Spurs flop must now be dropped

One Tottenham Hotspur player may need to be dropped despite yesterday’s win over Brentford.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 7, 2025

That is further reason for the club to cash in on the big-money flop in January to invest in a new signing in that position, as the Englishman’s move to North London has not worked out so far.

Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes was removed from Sunday's start against the Washington Nationals after feeling discomfort in his elbow.

After throwing a pitch during the fifth inning, Burnes could be seen gesturing towards the dugout, seemingly calling for the training staff to come out. Burnes then exited the game and was replaced by Jalen Beeks.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that Burnes would be staying behind in Arizona while the team sets out for its upcoming road series in Atlanta, via Megan Plain of Fox 10 Phoenix. The 30-year-old will undergo an MRI on Monday, the results of which the team and fans alike are anxiously awaiting.

Lovullo noted that all the team knows at this time is that Burnes is dealing with elbow discomfort. He added they're remaining as optimistic as possible until they know the results of the MRI.

Burnes had struck out six batters and surrendered one earned run across 4 2/3 innings before exiting Monday's game. This season, his first with the Diamondbacks, he's registered a 2.66 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings. He's in year one of a six-year, $210 million deal with the organization, which he signed as a free agent this past offseason.

An unlikely England recall isn’t out of the question for controversial Marseille star Mason Greenwood, according to one of his team-mates, who has vowed to do all he can to help the former Manchester United winger back into the Three Lions reckoning. Greenwood has been in prolific form for the Ligue 1 side again this season and is believed to be keen on return to the England squad.

Greenwood revival in south of France

Greenwood joined Marseille in July last year, leaving Manchester United following charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling behaviour, which were discontinued after key witnesses withdrew and new material emerged which meant there "was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction." After a successful loan spell at Getafe, Marseille signed him permanently for a reported £26.7 million ($35.3m), with the forward quickly becoming a key player under Roberto De Zerbi. 

His career has seen a resurgence, with him becoming Marseille’s top scorer last season and continuing his form into the current campaign. In the recent Champions League clash with Newcastle, Greenwood delivered an excellent performance. He was a constant threat from the right wing, creating four chances and providing the cross for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's first goal as Marseille secured a crucial 2-1 victory. 

And USMNT star Timothy Weah, son of former Paris St-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea striker George, has promised to do all he can to help Greenwood make a remarkable return to to the England team. 

AdvertisementAFPWeah: 'I'm super proud of him'

After the victory over Newcastle, Weah told : "When I speak about Mason it’s a special feeling because it’s very rare in a lifetime that you get to share the pitch with such an amazing player and amazing character. We’ve grown closer since I've joined the team and been here. Hopefully he gets that call-up soon. I’m super proud of him. He's having an amazing season and hopefully I can help him to reach those heights that he's aiming for."

England boss clear on Greenwood position

Greenwood has made just one senior appearance for the England national team when he was brought on as a substitute in a Nations League match against Iceland in September 2020. But there was controversy afterwards, as he was sent home shortly along with team-mate Phil Foden for breaching COVID-19 quarantine rules by bringing female companions back to the team hotel. He has not been called-up to the England squad since. 

And while he is eligible to play for Jamaica, he holds hopes he could return to the England set-up, but Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel says he isn’t being considered for selection at the moment. Speaking in September, Tuchel said: "I have not spoken to him until now. I have not spoken to him or his camp. My understanding was that he tries to play for Jamaica so we didn't give it another thought. He was not in the mix at the moment, and he is not in our thoughts for our team."

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AFPGreenwood 'not wanted' by Jamaica players

Greenwood has also been tipped to switch allegiance to Jamaica after gaining his passport earlier this year. Steve McClaren resigned as Jamaica's head coach after the team failed to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, following a 0-0 draw with minnows Curaçao earlier this month. However, Jamaica's World Cup dream is not over and can qualify through the inter-confederation play-offs. But former Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden has slammed the possibility of Greenwood changing his mind and joining up with the Reggae Boyz if they qualify for the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. 

Hayden said: "I've only played for Jamaica for a year, and there was some resistance to me when I started, but I have played 12 games and everyone can see my passion and the way I play the game. The quality of the player, his numbers, what he is producing, is of the highest level. But it comes down to principle and integrity. If players can just rock up because of a World Cup, it would make the whole thing a farce. That would say a lot about the player, and the organisation for allowing that to happen."

ZC cites Williams’ “history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability” for decision to not renew his contract beyond 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2025Sean Williams, the veteran Zimbabwe batter, will not be considered for national selection and his central contract will not be renewed after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said he disclosed to them that he has been struggling with drug addiction.In a statement, ZC referred to “a history of disciplinary issues and repeated unavailability, which has impacted team preparations and performance”.Williams, 39, has played 273 matches for Zimbabwe across all formats in an international career spanning more than 20 years, but ZC confirmed that his contract will not be renewed beyond the end of 2025.Related

Williams released from Zimbabwe squad for T20 WC Africa Qualifier

Sean Williams has been around the block and then some

Williams had most recently withdrawn from the Zimbabwe squad on the eve of the Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, citing “personal reasons”. On Tuesday, ZC revealed that they had conducted an internal investigation to understand the reason for his unavailability, after which Williams had disclosed to the board that he has been struggling with drug addiction, and had voluntarily entered into rehab.”ZC expects all contracted players to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and compliance with team protocols and anti-doping regulations,” the board said in its statement. “While ZC commends him for seeking rehabilitation, withdrawal from team commitments under circumstances involving potential testing raises serious concerns regarding professional and ethical standards.”Since making his international debut in 2005, Williams has scored more than 8000 runs across all formats for Zimbabwe. He was most prolific in ODIs, making 5217 runs at an average of 37.53, with eight hundreds and 37 fifties. Earlier this year, he overtook James Anderson to become the longest-serving active international cricketer.Williams, however, was also never far from controversies or from a fractured relationship with ZC. Although he led the U-19 side in the World Cup in Sri Lanka in February 2006 – the highlight being a win over England – there were rumours both before and after the tournament that he was not happy with the board. Williams subsequently turned down a central contract the following month, opting to look for a more settled career overseas. However, he changed his mind three months later, thus returning to play for Zimbabwe. The on-off farrago resurfaced in 2008 when he again quit for a contract in South Africa, only to return weeks later.In late 2014, despite being one of Zimbabwe’s best players of spin, Williams was not considered for the tour of Bangladesh after interruptions in his involvement in a training camp, and an aborted disciplinary hearing.”ZC sincerely acknowledges and appreciates his immense contribution to Zimbabwean cricket over the past two decades,” the board said. “Williams has played a pivotal role in some of the most significant moments in our recent history, leaving a lasting legacy both on and off the field. ZC wishes him strength in his recovery, and every success in his future endeavours.”

Chelsea’s opening goal in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Sunday should have been disallowed under IFAB Law 11.

Arsenal unable to take all three points against ten-man Chelsea

With Moises Caicedo being shown a straight red card after fouling Mikel Merino in the first half, the Gunners would’ve been expecting to pick up what could be a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge, but the hosts refused to lie down.

In fact, Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side just after half-time, although the north Londoners were ultimately able to come away with a point, as Mikel Merino was able to level things up just over ten minutes later.

Speaking after the game, Maresca made it clear he had no problem with Caicedo being given his marching orders, although he did question why Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur was not sent off for a similar challenge last month.

However, Mikel Arteta may have complaints of his own, with VAR being accused of going “completely blind” and missing Enzo Fernandez in an offside position during Chalobah’s opening goal.

IFAB’s Law 11 describes offside offences, and Fernandez’s position battling against Cristhian Mosquera certainly meets the criteria for ‘interfering with an opponent’.

A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by: preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

However, the goal stood and Maresca’s side managed to hold out for a draw, despite having ten men for most of the game, so Arteta arguably has a right to feel aggrieved the Gunners were unable to extend their lead at the top.

Arsenal should have taken three points regardless

Although there is a case to be made that Chalobah’s goal should’ve been ruled out, Arsenal will be kicking themselves, given that Caicedo’s early red card presented them with a golden opportunity to pick up a victory.

Arteta concurs that it was two points dropped, saying after the game: “I think overall it’s been a really positive week because the difficulty was immense.

“But I have this flavour that today we should have and we could have won the game and we haven’t. That’s a learning point from it.”

Arteta must drop 4/10 Arsenal star who lost every single duel vs Chelsea

Arsenal were not at their free-flowing best as they drew with Chelsea.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2025

That said, the north Londoners shouldn’t be too disheartened, as getting a point at Stamford Bridge is still a good result, and they have a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table, currently sitting five points clear of Man City.

Shohei Ohtani belted his first home run of the season Wednesday in Tokyo, but it came with some controversy as the announcers, and even Ohtani, weren't sure it should have been a home run after the umpires reviewed it.

Ohtani, who had 54 dingers last season, crushed a ball to right center in the fifth inning of the Dodgers-Cubs game in Japan. At first it looked like it hit off the top of the wall and would be a double, but then umpires quickly motioned that it was a home run. They then reviewed the play and a fan was seen getting a hand on the ball.

Here's how that played out:

Here's how the review process went:

That did look like it might not have made it over the wall if it wasn't for the fan. But it was indeed ruled a home run and it looks like Ohtani is ready for another huge season.

The sum is significantly less than the R815 million from last year

Firdose Moonda20-Sep-2025Cricket South Africa has reported a profit for a second successive financial year after three previous years of losses at their AGM on Saturday. They announced a profit of R238 million (approx US$13.7 million), significantly less than the R815 million from last year (approx US$ 45.6 million) but substantial after a season in which their only profitable incoming tour was four T20Is against India.Last summer, CSA also hosted Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which are typically loss-making series, but generated revenue from a combination of broadcast income, ICC disbursements and the addition of seven new sponsors.They also boasted increased interest in South African cricket with viewership of matches at one billion in 107 countries, earning CSA R707 million (approx US$40 million). The rest of their income was derived from R378 million in ICC distributions (approx US$21 million) and R125 million in sponsorships (approx US$7.2 million). Income from the SA20 was not itemised in this year’s report.Their biggest expense was the running of professional cricket including players salaries, hosting matches and upkeep of facilities which amounted to R1.3 billion (approx US$75 million). CSA maintains reserves of R1.42 billion (approx US$82 million) which their integrated report said will “provide a stable foundation for the future.”The report also included details of the country’s stadiums, which are being upgraded for the 2027 World Cup. Among the more notable developments so far is that The Wanderers and SuperSport Park have new high-definition LED floodlights while George’s Park has refurbished seating and a new scoreboard.Drop-in pitches are also still in development around the country. “The upcoming 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup represents an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the best of South African cricket. Preparations are already well underway,” Pearl Maphoshe, chairperson of the board of directors, said in a statement. “This tournament must be more than a sporting event. We are focused on ensuring it leaves a meaningful legacy through infrastructure improvements, youth development, environmental accountability and shared national pride.”With 2027 preparations underway, South Africa do not host any Tests this summer but will begin their World Test Championship (WTC) title defence on a full tour to Pakistan next month. That will be followed by an all-format tour of India before the SA20 kicks off on Boxing Day. The only men’s international cricket this summer will be five T20Is against West Indies in January-February 2026. In the absence of any Test fixtures, the mace will be taken on a country-wide trophy tour next week.